Health

ATLANTA -- Thousands of Georgia parents are buying sparklers for their children this Fourth of July, thinking they are a safe way to celebrate. But, as a Georgia eye expert warns, sparklers heat up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit -- hot enough to melt some metals -- and are the number one cause of fireworks injuries requiring trips to the emergency room.

Members of the Georgia Optometric Association are urging parents to leave all the fireworks to the professionals and avoid fireworks that may cause serious eye injuries when used inappropriately. Some of the most common fireworks injuries are eye abrasions, lacerations, contusions and foreign matter in the eye. The majority of these cases are related to the use of sparklers.

(USA TODAY) -- A government campaign designed to scare, shock and disgust smokers out of their deadly habit is back with several new ads.

The latest "Tips From Former Smokers" ads from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, released Tuesday, feature two middle-aged people who lost their teeth, a man with a hole in his throat and a woman who had a premature baby, all as a result of smoking.

The campaign also once again features Terrie Hall, a North Carolina woman who lost her larynx to oral and throat cancer. Her previous videos for the CDC have been seen more than 2 million times, the most of any in the campaign, says Tim McAfee, director of CDC's office on smoking and health.

ATLANTA -- A woman is recovering at Emory Hospital after doctors removed a massive tumor from her stomach.

Doctors said it was a complicated 8.5 hour procedure to remove the 27-pound tumor. They initially believed the tumor was on Doris Lewis' ovaries, but in fact it turned out to be inside her abdomen.

At first, Lewis didn't know it was a tumor. She thought she was just gaining weight. Then her husband passed away and she said she put the medical situation to the back of her mind. She then lost her insurance, so when she began to think something was seriously wrong, she couldn't do anything about it.

Lewis went to the emergency about a month ago when she was experiencing shortness of breath. Doctors told her it had to come out right away.

"This thing was going to continue to grow," said Dr. Alan Gordon. "The good news for her was that even though it had grown a significant size, it had been doing this slowly."

(WXIA) -- Kroger customers in metro Atlanta recently showed that they are a charitable bunch.

During the final two weeks in May, shoppers raised $232,000 for the Children's Miracle Network through the Miracle Balloons promotion.

For only $1, a customer could purchase a paper balloon to hang in a local Kroger. All proceeds from the fundraiser went directly to Children's Miracle Network hospitals and health networks, such as Children's Hospital of Georgia in Augusta and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"Kroger customers consistently show their care for our communities by constantly going above and beyond with their charitable donations," Glynn Jenkins, spokesperson for Kroger's Atlanta division, said in a release. "Through their support of the Miracle Balloons program, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of children."

NEW YORK -- Panera says it will remove artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives from its food by 2016, a reflection of the growing distaste people are showing for such ingredients.

The chain of bakery cafes, which has about 1,800 U.S. locations, is making the pledge as part of a "Food Policy" it is unveiling Tuesday that outlines its commitment to "clean" and "simple" ingredients.

The announcement comes at a time when Panera Bread Co. is facing slowing sales growth and working to jumpstart its business.

It also underscores how positioning foods as natural has become a marketing advantage, regardless of whether it brings any nutritional benefits.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- Wednesday, May 21 is World CPR Challenge Day, and DeKalb County Fire Rescue is offering residents a chance to learn this lifesaving skill for free.

The department has teamed up with American Medical Response to host CPR clinics at locations across the county. AMR technicians will teach compression-only CPR (set to the beat of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive") from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

(USA TODAY) -- A new report from the surgeon general finds that smoking causes even more physical and financial damage than previously estimated, killing 480,000 Americans a year from diseases that include diabetes, colorectal cancer and liver cancer.

The report, released today, represents the first time the surgeon general has concluded that smoking is "causally linked" to these diseases. The report finds that smoking causes rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction and macular degeneration, a major cause of age-related blindness. Smoking causes inflammation, impairs immune function and increases the risk of death from tuberculosis, an infectious disease.

Smoking also harms pregnant women and their fetuses by causing birth defects called cleft lips and palates and by causing ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus.